Why In The News?

• Recently, the Chief Postmaster General Maharashtra Circle inaugurated the Bharati Branch Post Office at Bharati Station of Antarctica accompanied by the introduction of a new PIN code, MH-1718.

Brief History of Post Offices in Antarctica:

=> In 1984, shortly after the inaugural expedition to Antarctica, India established its first-ever post officeat Dakshin Gangotri — the pioneering scientific base.

=> The eventual submersion of Dakshin Gangotri under ice during the late 1980s, leading to its decommissioning.

=> On January 26, 1990, a new post office branch emerged at India’s Maitri research station in Antarctica.

Maitri and Bharati Post Offices:

=> These are research bases of India in Antarctica spanning a distance of 3,000 kms.

=> They stand as a testament to the nation’s enduring presence in the polar landscape, both falling under the purview of the Goa Postal Division.

=> In practical terms, letters intended for Antarctica find their way to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa, the pivotal hub for India’s polar endeavours.